Many computing contexts involve the concept of a user profile, in which a computer system receives and retains a set of information describing one or more users of the system. In many such contexts, a server is developed to provide services (e.g., providing information, hosting files, or maintaining an email mailbox) to specific individuals, and the scope and details of the service may be personalized for each individual based on the individual's user profile. As one example, an individual may communicate with an email server by providing her email account username and password, and then communicate with other users via email that identifies her by her name and personalized email address. In this example, the email server maintains a user profile for the individual comprising her name, email address, account username, and account password, as well as many other facts relating to the identity of the individual.